Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

What is TMS?

Butler Hospital-What is TMS

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a revolutionary treatment, approved by the FDA, for patients suffering from depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who have not responded to standard medications and therapy. A device placed on the patient’s head delivers targeted magnetic pulses that penetrate the scalp and skull to induce activity in brain cells (called neurons) underneath the scalp to target specific areas of the brain. TMS therapy is a non-invasive treatment, and it does not require anesthesia or sedation. Patients remain fully awake and alert during their TMS treatment sessions and they can travel independently to the clinic and continue with their day-to-day activities without limitation.

Published reports from TMS treatment studies show more than half of patients treated with TMS therapy experienced significant improvements in their symptoms and about one-third of patients experience remission. TMS treated patients have experienced significant improvements in their anxiety, functioning, pleasure, appetite changes, aches and pains, and lack of energy, and other debilitating symptoms associated with their illness.

Contact Information:

TMS Clinic
Butler Hospital
345 Blackstone Boulevard
Delmonico 1A
Providence, RI 02906
P: (401) 455-6632
F: (401) 455-6686
Email: BRAIN@CareNE.org

Click here to begin the screening process with our TMS team.

Clinic Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 am-5:30 pm

For Physicians
For clinicians, if you would like to refer your patient for consideration of TMS Therapy, please download and complete this form and fax to (401) 455-6686.

What to Expect from TMS Therapy

In October of 2008, the FDA approved the first TMS device to treat depression, and Butler Hospital’s TMS Clinic team includes researchers who have continued to study TMS since that point in time. The Butler TMS Clinic was opened to the public for non-research standard care in January 2009 and has remained one of the busiest TMS programs in the Northeast since then. Our state-of-the-art treatment facility houses multiple FDA-cleared devices for standard TMS clinical care, as well as investigational devices for research clinical trials. TMS researchers at Butler continue to conduct investigations aimed to make the TMS therapy outcomes even better and more personalized for each patient.

A typical course of TMS therapy includes*:

6-9 weeks of daily (Monday through Friday) treatments, five per week that can last up to 30 minutes*
Serial assessments of symptoms/response with standardized rating scales
Collaboration between the TMS team and a patient's regular outpatient care team during the course of TMS therapy. Butler TMS patients will continue to meet with their outpatient clinicians and prescribers for medication management and psychotherapy
An end-of-treatment summary of their TMS course is sent to the patient's treating clinicians to document outcomes, plans, and recommendations
A repeat course of TMS therapy is covered by most insurance policies for patients who showed a positive response to a past course of TMS and experienced subsequent depression relapse*
TMS may be delivered on an “accelerated” basis meaning multiple sessions in one day. Please talk to the treatment team about this alternative as it may not be covered by insurance*

We strive to make the process of referring patients to the Butler TMS Clinic as easy and effective as possible. Most of our patients receive TMS therapy as a covered service through their health insurance policy. As such, we go the extra mile to obtain source documentation of past treatment history.

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TMS for Other Indications

As of January 2024, the FDA has approved the use of TMS for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and Smoking Cessation. Insurance coverage may be available so please contact the clinic and our team will verify your insurance and coordinate benefits. There is extensive literature using TMS to treat other indications such as Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, Addictions, Executive Functioning deficits (ADD, ADHD), PTSD, Autism, Pain syndromes, and Bipolar Disorder are backed by scientific evidence and has shown TMS can be used off-label to alleviate and/or treat illnesses. This may be available on a self-pay basis and can be discussed on a case-by-case basis.

Is TMS covered by Insurance for depression?

TMS treatment for depression is covered by nearly all insurance carriers including Medicare and Medicaid. A screening process is used to determine whether each patient meets their insurance policy’s coverage criteria. An outpatient appointment, called a TMS Consultation visit, takes place with a TMS provider prior to starting the course of TMS therapy. When a patient is determined to be eligible, our TMS Clinic staff will submit the required pre-authorization information and work with insurance companies to obtain coverage.

Typical eligibility requirements for insurance coverage of TMS include a patient:

Current primary diagnosis of unipolar major depressive disorder (MDD), single episode, or recurrent episode without psychotic features.
Current episodes characterized by a moderate to severe level of current depressive symptoms (standardized rating scales are used to access severity).
The patient has the ability to remain safe and is sufficiently stable for treatment on an outpatient basis.
Lack of response or inability to tolerate oral antidepressant medications
A patient may or may not have had a past trial of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). To date, the history of past ECT is not related to TMS response.

TMS Therapy at Butler Hospital

Are you a candidate for TMS?

To find out if you are a candidate for TMS, you can begin by calling (401) 455-6632 or by filling out the form below and someone on the team will be in contact with you shortly.

Patient Resources

TMS

How Does TMS Work?

Care New England

TMS is non-invasive and does not involve surgery or insertion of intravenous lines or anything else put into your body.

TMS

TMS Safety Considerations

Care New England

Over 10,000 active TMS treatments were safely performed during clinical trials with the type of TMS device used at Butler Hospital.

TMS

TMS Therapy: Depression Today; Remission...

Eric Tirrell

Published reports from TMS treatment studies show more than half of patients treated with TMS therapy experienced significant improvements in depression symptoms and about one-third of patients experi...

Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions about what to expect as a patient or who will be involved in the treatment? We've got you covered.

Learn More

Patient Testimonials

“TMS is my lifesaver. The treatment I received is beyond compare. It is a very healing environment with the most amazing staff. When I am here, I know I am in the best, most capable hands.”

“I want to thank you for changing my life. When I first came in for a consultation, I didn’t know what to expect. You were open and honest. This was my last hope to feel better. I can’t thank you enough for changing my life. You have given me hope for the future. I feel like my life has just begun.”

“You will never know how much I appreciate your guidance through the past few months. You’ve been the best cheerleaders anyone could ask for. Seeing your smiles every morning and hearing your kind words made each treatment comfortable and I admire your professionalism and dedication to the TMS program.”

“I want to thank you for all that you’ve done to help me get to a better place. When I came in for my first treatment I was so nervous. I was so grateful for everyone’s smiles, reassurance, and thoughtfulness through my treatments. You have done do much for me- you allowed me to have hope for a better future.”

“I want to take a moment to thank you all for the fantastic job you do. I have always felt your genuine concern and investment in my wellbeing. Each time I have come to TMS I have been at the end of my rope and you have all shown me compassion at a time I didn’t think I was worthy of. Daily you show me sincere empathy and investment in my recovery. You are all so well suited for the work you do and I am grateful for you all!

TMS and Other Neuromodulation Research

Since 2015, the TMS Clinical Service has been closely integrated with the Neuromodulation Research division at Butler Hospital with its goal to bridge the gap between scientific research and clinical practice in non-invasive brain stimulation. The incorporation of research findings with clinical expertise is crucial to help inform TMS practitioners into providing the best care and to enhance patient outcomes. This research has expanded beyond TMS to include other forms of brain stimulation such as using wearable devices and to gain a better understanding into other clinical services we offer such as Esketamine and ECT. These procedures may include the collection of brain imaging (MRI, EEG), blood biomarkers, physiological data (heart rate, nerve conduction, blood pressure), working memory, behavioral, and cognitive tasks, ecological momentary assessments, and the use of other psychometric surveys to help us investigate potential biomarkers into clinical response and develop ways to personalize treatment.

The Neuromodulation Research program at Butler shares a close connection with Butler Hospital COBRE (Center of Biomedical Research Excellence) for Neuromodulation with shared research goals to support innovative clinical research in neuromodulation (i.e., brain stimulation) and career development of investigators in the field.

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